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VALLEY — Friday’s annual auction for Valley Haven was successful, raising over $13,000 toward the Hike/Bike/Run’s goal of going past $100,000.

“It was the most we’ve raised in the auction in a long, long time,” said Craig Brown, the executive director of Valley Haven School. “We had a very good turnout, and people really got into the bidding. I think it helped that we had it in a new location, and people knew they didn’t have to take home anything they bought that night. They could come back to get it.”

In previous years, the auction took place in the big gym at Valley Community Center, and the items purchased had to be taken away that night.

Big-ticket items purchased on Friday included a surplus Valley Haven bus, which went for $1,800; a Nick Saban autographed Alabama football, $1,000; a Bruce Pearl autographed Auburn basketball, $400; passes to play at Robert Trent Jones golf courses, $200 each; a Les Paul guitar donated by Pawn City, $300, and a box full of different kinds of ammunition, $400.

There was no auction in 2020 because of the COVID pandemic, and last year’s auction raised just under $8,000.

This is Hike/Bike/Run Week. The 27th annual Peach Walk will be taking place on Friday, May 6. It normally takes place on the James A. Hardy Walking Trail at the Georgia Visitor Center on I-85. With the Visitors Center being closed right now as some renovations are taking place, this year’s Peach Walk will be at the James A. Hardy Gym in Lanett.

This coming Saturday will be the big day. In non-COVID times, the Hike/Bike/Run takes place on Kentucky Derby Day. It’s that way again this year. Registration for the running events will start at 7 a.m. EDT at the school. The annual Jane Carmack Memorial Walk will start at the same time in downtown West Point. The seven-mile walk begins at J. Smith Lanier II Park and concludes at Valley Haven School. The walkers are given police escorts all along the way.

An opening ceremony and flag ceremony will be taking place at Valley Haven at 8 a.m. A kids’ play area will be available at the school from 8 a.m. until 11 a.m.

The first running event, a one-mile run, starts at 8 a.m. A 4K run gets underway at 8:30 a.m.; one and five-mile walks begin at the same time. A kids’ ride in the parking lot in front of the school starts at 9 a.m. Bikes, trikes, scooters and battery-powered rides are welcome. A 10-mile bike ride will be starting at 9 a.m. as well. The final event of the day, a 5K run, starts at 9:15 a.m. There’s an awards program at 11 a.m.

“We will have great family fun for all,” Brown said. “For more information about the Hike/Bike/Run, please call us at the school at (334) 756-2868.”